Objective To investigate the correlation between levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)and atrial fibrillation in a hypertensive population.Methods Hypertension screening was performed in the Wuyuan County of Jiangxi Province from June to August 2022.Data were collected using face-to-face questionnaire surveys,physical measurements,and biochemical tests.Logistic regres-sion analysis was used to analyze the effect of LDL-C on atrial fibrillation.The restricted cubic spline method was used to fit the correlation curve.Results A total of 14 314 patients with hypertension were included in the analysis,with an average age of 65.7±9.2 years.There were 570 patients detected with atrial fibrillation(the rate of atrial fibrillation was 4.0％).The rates of atrial fibrillation for LDL-C＜1.80 mmol/L,1.80-＜2.60 mmol/L,2.60-＜3.40 mmol/L and≥3.40 mmol/L were 10.2％(67/654),5.7％(216/3 807),3.3％(189/5 805),and 2.4％(98/4 048),respectively.Logistic regression analysis showed that,compared with LDL-C＜1.80 mmol/L group,LDL-C 1.80-＜2.60 mmol/L group,2.60-＜3.40 mmol/L group,and ≥ 3.40 mmol/L group had a lower risk of atrial fibrillation(OR=0.53,95％CI:0.39-0.72,P＜0.001;OR=0.32,95％CI:0.23-0.45,P＜0.001;OR=0.22,95％CI:0.16-0.32,P＜0.001).Curve-fitting results showed that LDL-C levels were negatively associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation.Subgroup analysis showed that LDL-C level was negatively associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation in patients without a history of stroke(OR=0.51,95％CI:0.44-0.58,P＜0.001),while the association was not statistically significant in patients with a history of stroke(OR=0.80,95％CI:0.54-1.19,P=0.273).Conclusion In hyperten-sive patients without a history of stroke,LDL-C levels negatively correlated with the risk of atrial fibrillation.

Objective To investigate the correlation between levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)and atrial fibrillation in a hypertensive population.Methods Hypertension screening was performed in the Wuyuan County of Jiangxi Province from June to August 2022.Data were collected using face-to-face questionnaire surveys,physical measurements,and biochemical tests.Logistic regres-sion analysis was used to analyze the effect of LDL-C on atrial fibrillation.The restricted cubic spline method was used to fit the correlation curve.Results A total of 14 314 patients with hypertension were included in the analysis,with an average age of 65.7±9.2 years.There were 570 patients detected with atrial fibrillation(the rate of atrial fibrillation was 4.0％).The rates of atrial fibrillation for LDL-C＜1.80 mmol/L,1.80-＜2.60 mmol/L,2.60-＜3.40 mmol/L and≥3.40 mmol/L were 10.2％(67/654),5.7％(216/3 807),3.3％(189/5 805),and 2.4％(98/4 048),respectively.Logistic regression analysis showed that,compared with LDL-C＜1.80 mmol/L group,LDL-C 1.80-＜2.60 mmol/L group,2.60-＜3.40 mmol/L group,and ≥ 3.40 mmol/L group had a lower risk of atrial fibrillation(OR=0.53,95％CI:0.39-0.72,P＜0.001;OR=0.32,95％CI:0.23-0.45,P＜0.001;OR=0.22,95％CI:0.16-0.32,P＜0.001).Curve-fitting results showed that LDL-C levels were negatively associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation.Subgroup analysis showed that LDL-C level was negatively associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation in patients without a history of stroke(OR=0.51,95％CI:0.44-0.58,P＜0.001),while the association was not statistically significant in patients with a history of stroke(OR=0.80,95％CI:0.54-1.19,P=0.273).Conclusion In hyperten-sive patients without a history of stroke,LDL-C levels negatively correlated with the risk of atrial fibrillation.

Objective To analyze the individualized CTV-to-PTV margin dose and positioning errors in radiotherapy for esophageal cancer for improving the treatment accuracy while meeting dose requirements.Methods Fifty-four esophageal cancer patients admitted to Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center at Huangpu District from June 2021 to June 2022 were enrolled.All of the patients underwent CBCT scans in each fraction,and a total of 1283 CBCT images were collected.The image registration between CBCT image before radiotherapy and planning CT image was carried out to obtain errors in vertical(VRT),longitudinal(LNG),lateral(LAT),Roll,Pitch,and YAW directions.The mean values of six-dimensional positioning errors in the first 5 fractions were calculated,and the results were compared with the total fractional errors using the single sample t-test method for determining the differences.The CTV-to-PTV margin was calculated with the formula(margin=2.5∑+0.7δ),and the calculated margins were divided into 5 groups:Group A(5 mm expansion in all directions),Group B(7.9 mm expansion in LAT direction,and 5 mm expansion in other directions),Group C(11.03 mm expansion in LNG direction,and 5 mm expansion in the other directions),Group D(6.36 mm expansion in VRT direction,and 5 mm expansion in the other directions),and Group E(7.9 mm expansion in LAT direction,11.03 mm expansion in LNG direction,and 6.36 mm expansion in VRT direction).Simulation planning was conducted for 10 patients.Results The proportions of differences between the mean values of six-dimensional errors in the first 5 fractions and the total fractional errors in 54 patients were analyzed.There was no significant difference in 192 out of the 324 directions in 54 patients,accounting for 59.26%(P>0.05).Among them,the LAT,LNG,VRT,Pitch,Roll and YAW directions accounted for 64.81%,57.41%,51.85%,64.81%,57.41%and 59.26%of the total cases.The calculated CTV-to-PTV margin was 7.90,11.03 and 6.36 mm in LAT,LNG and VRT directions.The statistical analysis showed that the differences in the coverage rates of organs-at-risk and target areas among the 5 groups of CTV-to-PTV margins were trivial(P>0.05).Conclusion Using the positioning errors in the first 5 fractions of radiotherapy for esophageal cancer to predict subsequent positioning errors is feasible.The reasonable individualized margin in radiotherapy for esophageal cancer can reduce the inter-fractional off-target rate without increasing the dose delivered to organs-at-risk.The study provides a reference for the target volume margin of esophageal cancer and an important basis for precision treatment.

Objective:To analyze characteristics and trends of histopathological diagnosis of adult renal biopsy in Beijing from 2008 to 2020.Methods:A total of 4 652 cases of adult renal biopsy were collected from three hospitals in Beijing between 2008 and 2020. The patients were divided into three age groups: 18-40 years, 40-65 years and≥ 65 years; and also divided into three period: 2008-2011, 2012-2015, and 2016-2020. The pathological characteristics and changes of renal biopsy were analyzed in three age groups at different periods.Results:Among 4 652 cases primary glomerular disease accounted for 81.8%, the membranous nephropathy (MN, 32.4%, 1 509/4 652), IgA nephropathy (IgAN, 29.2%, 1 356/4 652) and minor glomerular abnormalities (MGA, 11.3%, 526/4 652) were the top three pathological types. The overall proportion of MN and diabetic nephropathy (DN) increased from 20.3% and 2.3% in 2008-2011 to 37.3% and 10.1% in 2016-2020) (χ2=99.9 and 96.1, both P<0.01), respectively. For age group 18-40 years, the MN and DN increased from 11.2% and 1.6% in 2008-2011 to 24.7% and 5.5% in 2016-2020 (χ2=32.7 and 20.7, both P<0.01), respectively. For age group 40-65 years the MN and DN increased from 26.6% and 3.2% in 2008-2011 to 41.5% and 13.1% in 2016-2020 (χ2=39.1 and 57.3, both P<0.01), respectively. For age group≥65 years the MN was the most common pathological type in the three periods, fluctuating between 41.3% and 55.0% (χ2=5.2, P=0.08); and DN increased from 0(0/63) in 2008-2011 to 7.5%(22/292) in 2016-2020 (χ2=8.1, P=0.02). Conclusion:The renal biopsy data show that membranous nephropathy and diabetic nephropathy are the most common primary and secondary adult glomerular diseases in Beijing recently.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) vascular hyperintensities (FVHs) and outcomes after endovascular mechanical thrombectomy (EMT) in patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke.Methods:Using " Nanjing First Hospital Stroke Database" , consecutive patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke received EMT treatment from June 2015 to December 2018 were enrolled retrospectively. Before EMT treatment, the distal FVH grade and the American Society of Intervention and Therapeutic Neuroradiology/Society of Interventional Radiology (ASITN/SIR) collateral circulation grade were evaluated. The modified Rankin Scale was used to evaluate the functional outcome of patients at 3 months after onset, and 0-2 was defined as a good outcome. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the distal FVH grade and the ASITN/SIR collateral circulation grade. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of the outcomes. Results:A total of 117 patients with acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke were enrolled, aged 70.74±12.50 years, 72 (61.5%) were male. The baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 13.73±4.91. Seventy-four patients (63.2%) had a good outcome and 43 (36.8%) had a poor outcome. The distal FVH grade was grade 0 in 8 cases (6.84%), grade 1 in 34 cases (29.06%), and grade 2 in 75 cases (64.10%). Compared with the distal FVH low-grade group (grade 0-1), the high-grade group (grade 2) had a higher ASITN/SIR collateral circulation grade ( P<0.001) and lower baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ( P=0.026). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the distal FVH grade was significantly positively correlated with the ASITN/SIR collateral circulation grade ( r=0.620, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the high distal FVH grade (odds ratio [ OR] 0.336, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 0.128-0.879; P=0.026) was independently associated with the good outcomes, while the higher baseline NIHSS score ( OR 1.036, 95% CI 0.988-1.229; P=0.048) and symptomatic cerebral hemorrhage ( OR 5.597, 95% CI 1.052-29.761; P=0.043) were independently associated with the poor outcomes. Conclusion:The distal FVHs can reflect the state of collateral circulation. The high grade of distal FVHs is associated with the good outcomes after EMT in patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke.

Objective To investigate the effects of Tim-3 on the renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI),and explore the role of monocyte-macrophage cell system.Methods Totally 72 C57BL/ 6 mice were randomly divided into four groups (n =18 each).(1) IR + Tim-3 rnAb group (experimental group):Each mouse was intraperitoneally injected with 200μg of anti-Tim-3 mAb and the IR model of mouse kidney was established after 1 day;(2) IR + IgG monoclonal antibody group (negative control group):each mouse was intraperitoneally injected with anti-IgG mAb (200 μg) and the IR model of mouse kidney was established after 1 day;(3) IR group:mouse kidney IR model was established only;(4) Control group:mouse kidney IR model was not established.At 6,24 and 48 h after IR respectively,venous blood of 6 mice in each group was taken from the infrarenal vein.Scr and CystinC were detected and PAS staining was used to observe the pathological change of renal tissues.Cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining.Pax,bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression in renal tissue was detected by Western blotting.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the distribution of Tim-3 and activated macrophage cells.Flow cytometry and ELISA were used to evaluate the level of Tim-3 and inflammatory cytokines secretion respectively.Results Compared with control group,the Tim-3 expression was dramatically increased in IR group and I/R + Tim-3 mAb group.The serum Scr and CystinC levels were increased in IR group,and Tim-3 blocking decreased the levels of serum Scr and CystinC (P＜0.05).PAS and TUNEL staining showed that renal injury score and apoptotic index were higher in IR group than those in control group.Tim-3mAb significantly decreased those markers,and ameliorated the renal tubulointerstitial injury induced by IRk The expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bax/bcl-2 was increased in IR group,but deceased by Tim-3mAb.IR induced F4/80 + distribution and inflammatory cytokines secretion in renal tubular interstitial tissues,while Tim-3mAb down-regulated F4/80 + activation and the levels of inflammatory cytokines.Conclusion The findings demonstrated Tim-3 may promoted renal IRI through regulating mononuclear phagocyte system function.

Physical examination of the nervous system is a very practical clinical skill.Based on our experience,we have found that conventional teaching approaches are not satisfactory in fully enabling medical trainees to master these skills and use them efficiently in clinical settings.Therefore we have developed a novel approach which involves prioritizing and standardizing examination procedures,imposing goal-oriented practices,improving teaching methodology and intensifying repeatitive exercises.This systemic approach has yielded considerable success that is not achievable through conventional teachings.